A Swing, A Hit

Yuuto's Terms of Service:

7. I will not interfere with your personal life after the case. All ties will be cut.

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A swing.

Thump, a hit.

Another swing, another hit.

A swift sound of a large, metal object coursing through the air hitting yet again right on its mark. Yuuto didn't relent. He didn't stop. He didn't think.

He just swung again and again, as the banter of the large group grew increasingly confused and increasingly despaired. What they spoke of between each other didn't matter.

Yuuto had filtered it all as he was... Swinging.

One after the other, they fell to his feet as flies fall to intense heat.

At that moment, in that silent, emotionless fight within Riko's lightless garden - Yuuto was not himself. He was neither Anti-NTR Man nor another made-up figure within his scenario pages or plans. He was just the force behind the swinging of his metal baseball bat.

Any reason for those swings, any cause and effect - past and future - nothing could interfere his state of mind. All that matters is swinging... And hitting... Swinging... And hitting yet again - until he no longer has to.

The night was starry and the sounds of moaning and laughter of the young couple, indulging in their pleasures within the house's top floor were drowned by the sound of violence below.

It was too big a garden for 11 people, and Yuuto knew that. That narrow space he had obsessively studied for 2 months straight allowed him to maneuver and catch them all off guard more efficiently.

He became the very master of her garden, despite not being its owner - through sheer effort and due diligence.

His swift movements in his dark outfit within the dark environment made it harder for them to see and predict his movements. He had stayed in that darkness for quite some time and got his eyesight used to the dim area, while the group had just entered it, unprepared.

Thump, a hit.

Splattering sounds on the ground and grass followed.

Another hit, more noises of liquid splattering around.

The metal baseball bat turned less pristine by the moment.

Crackling noises, meat being torn and splattered - It was as if 100% of Yuuto's power was behind each and every one of his swings.

Some tried to dodge, but he always hit.

Some tried to defend, but he always broke their guard.

Their chest was inaccessible? Then he'd swing to their stomach as a hitter would strike a straight ball.

Is their stomach also blocked? Their nuts would turn into omelets as he'd swing his bat upwards, shattering their future generations.

Somehow they'd manage to defend even that in addition? He'd drive the baseball bat into their mouths, breaking all of their teeth.

A concussion.

A crack in their skulls. Hemhorrages... Yuuto, in these moments, had turned into an artist. Despite having only one color to work with and a very limited supply, he had managed to paint the entire canvas in dark red.

Bam. A hit. This time, felt by Yuuto.

Yet, somehow it seemed... As if that hit injected his body with adrenaline, tensing his muscles and lowering the frequency of his breaths... Reinvigorated, he swung again.

Hit again.

Swung again.

Hit once more with a slight grin, as if he was feeling intense pleasure.

And so he swung and hit... Until he didn't have to anymore.

Stained with blood, he stood in the hot silent breeze inside Riko's garden as he was surrounded by 10 broken men lying almost as still as dead fish beneath his feet, lying on their backs with their faces turned upwards by Yuuto soon after they fell.

The encounter was as swift as a passing shower of rain and thunder. It sounds as if the moans of pleasure and laughter had also stopped a bit before the storm of Yuuto had ended...

Yuuto let out a quiet chuckle, his gaze drifting upward to where Riko's room was on the second floor.

"He really was a virgin... Finishing before I do... How could you?" he murmured under his breath, the corners of his mouth lifting into a sly grin.

Casually, he began wiping the blood from his baseball bat using the clothing of one of the fallen assailants.

"Well..." he sighed, stretching his back as if he had just completed an intense workout, "I still had my fun... And so did she, I reckon. So, the score is still 1 - 0 for love."

Turning towards the entrance gate, Yuuto checked his surroundings before making his way out of Riko's garden, closing the gate behind him. As he jogged towards the exit, his confident stride faltered slightly, his hand clutching at his swollen abdomen.

"Tsk... How rusty," he grumbled, acknowledging the pain but dismissing it with a typical nonchalance.

Indeed, the great Anti-NTR Man was not invincible; he had sustained disgraceful injuries....

"If you've got a problem with that, come out here and fight yourself," he muttered to an imaginary challenger.

Silence followed his challenge.

"... Just as I thought," Yuuto concluded, smirking as he continued on his way to investigate this mysterious Seichiro character, all while managing the discomfort from his injuries.

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Yuuto jogged in the hot wind of this lonely night. Passing houses upon houses, neighborhood after neighborhood. He followed the the blood trail without a squeak.

He eventually reached a construction site, surrounded by metal fences - with the main gate open. But that was not what caught his eye...

There before him lay the body of someone he knew well... He approached quietly, looking at his surroundings without chatter or commentary. He walked while wearing his hoodie, ducking at the youth with a look of curiosity.

Top-less, bleeding, sweating, and full of dirt... But the most notable difference about Sendo was-

CLICK.

Yuuto recognized the chilling sound instantly—the distinct click of a gun's safety being disengaged, right behind him. Instinctively, he remained motionless.

Seichiro was silent for a moment, then spoke, his voice betraying no emotion. "...From the look of the blood on your outfit, and you coming from that direction, I reckon that's your friend lying here on the ground?"

Yuuto gave no response, no nod, no words. He knew that regardless of any plan he might concoct, a gun to his head could end everything abruptly.

"Well, you sure messed my plans up," Seichiro continued, his tone calm, almost disconcertingly clear—not what Yuuto expected from a man whose plans he had just thwarted.

Yuuto remained silent, his curiosity piqued by the man's composed demeanor. He chose to provoke further by maintaining his stillness.

Seichiro yawned quietly, his gaze lingering on the nape of Yuuto's neck, covered by the hoodie. "...He's still alive. He took out my entire group just by his lonesome. As you probably did," he observed.

Yuuto clenched his fist, taking note of Sendo's wounds and bruises and the conspicuous absence of the wooden sword Sendo usually carried.

"...Using only this thing," Seichiro remarked, placing the wooden sword gently on Yuuto's shoulder. Yuuto turned his attention to it, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the familiar weapon.

Yuuto's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. The man behind him, Seichiro, was clearly involved with the rapists, yet his behavior was puzzling. Yuuto weighed his options and potential responses, questioning the man's intentions and how much space separated the gun from his head.

Seichiro broke the silence, his voice calm yet unsettling. "I planned to kill him... But I changed my mind."

Yuuto's body tensed, every nerve on high alert as he awaited what would come next.

Seichiro's next words came as a directive. "I'm gonna ask you a question. I want you to nod yes or no. Got it?"

Yuuto nodded, acknowledging the instructions.

"Good... Did you kill any of them back there?" Seichiro asked, his tone slightly elevated yet still controlled.

Without hesitation, Yuuto shook his head no.

Seichiro clicked his tongue in response, a sound that carried a mix of disappointment and resignation.

"Shame... Either way, go back to school, kid. I'll handle the mess. We won't bother that Riko girl anymore,"

With a sharp click, the gun's safety was disengaged once more. In a sudden, instinctive reaction, Yuuto spun around, his entire body tensed, ready to confront whoever was behind him—but he found nothing. The man had vanished.

"He knew I was a high-schooler?" Yuuto muttered to himself, perplexed and slightly uneasy.

Turning back, Yuuto noticed Sendo still on the ground, struggling to speak.

"S... Sen...Pai..?" Sendo's voice was weak, barely audible.

Yuuto froze. Had Sendo recognized his voice? Was his secret identity at risk now?

"H-hey... S...Enp...ai..." Sendo continued weakly.

The gravity of the situation weighed on Yuuto. If his identity was compromised, it could unravel everything he had carefully maintained. As he pondered his next steps, Sendo spoke again, his voice fading.

"J.... Join... Da ...K-ke...ndo... Club..." With those words, Sendo slipped back into unconsciousness.

Relief washed over Yuuto as he realized Sendo hadn't connected the dots about his identity but was instead mumbling about his club.

"Nice fight... You did well," Yuuto said softly, patting Sendo's back with genuine respect for the boy's resilience.

Now, with a sense of duty, Yuuto considered his next move. He couldn't just leave Sendo here. "I'll trust this old man. I mean, it's either that or letting Sendo bleed to death here... I'll call an ambulance."

Carefully, Yuuto hoisted the unconscious Sendo up, draping the boy's arm over his shoulder for support as they began to move.

"Hehe... Need to hide this from Mom and Dad... What will I say?" Yuuto mused as they walked.

His mind raced with potential excuses. Being known as the most insufferable student in his class, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to claim that their classroom teacher had beaten him after causing a mental breakdown.

"Ooh! That's a good one..." Yuuto smirked to himself, pleased with his quick thinking.

Yes, Yuuto, it just might work.

After waiting in the shadows for an ambulance, it finally came and the paramedics picked up Sendo after Yuuto moved him to sit on a bench in a park nearby so that he could rest properly. Yuuto then examined the construction site, yet no one was there. No bodies, no blood. Nothing. After he left the main gate, he was startled by the thundering BAM noise, caused by the metal gate closing on the metal fence surrounding the area. He then jogged to Riko's house - all the bodies and blood were gone.

Even Riko's gate and alarm were fixed - but Yuuto's cameras were gone. Instead, their memory cards were all left on her door's entrance for him to collect. This is usable footage that was later left at the nearest police station anonymously by Yuuto himself, after proof-checking that they really were the memory cards of those cameras, recording the entire fight.

A police investigation followed early morning when the memory cards were taken into evidence. Riko and Shun were questioned about the fight after their incident on the train, but to their knowledge, nothing was happening outside of the house that night. Police successfully identified the men related, besides Yuuto and Seichiro, but didn't get any leads about their whereabouts - as if they had all disappeared from Japan altogether.

Sendo was later questioned at the hospital he was staying at by the police - he told them everything - from the train - and to the fights he had to overcome. The police concluded it was all related to the drug shown on the train, but they also concluded that the men did this crime out of selfish desire and that they weren't related to the mafia or some kind of organization... At the very least, that was their official statement on the matter.

They even came to question Yuuto if he knew something and why was he on that train that day, considering he lives in a different place and that he's also their classmate. He said that being a 19-year-old high-school student, he shamefully admitted that he wanted to see what it was like to get drunk somewhere far from home so his family wouldn't notice. Being the disappointment that he is, he wasn't worried about his image - so the police did not question him further.

Two days had passed since the incident. Despite his usual solitary demeanor, Sendo found himself inundated with visitors. His popularity among his kendo club members, and his recent heroics, had sparked newfound interest in the club.

Riko and Shun also came to visit, grateful for his brave actions.

"Feel well, Sendo-kun... I'll wait outside, Shun!" Riko said as she opened the door to his hospital room, leaving shortly after.

As Shun watched Sendo lying in bed, covered in bruises and bandages but with an undeniably optimistic air, he couldn't help but smile.

"D'ya still have something ta say ta me, Senpai? Shouldn't ya join her outside?" Sendo asked, cocking his head towards Shun.

"I just... I can't thank you enough. I don't know what we would've done without you..." Shun began.

Sendo rubbed his forehead wearily.

"Senpai... I mean no offense, but if ya say another thank ya, I might just throw this IV bag at ya," Sendo said, half-joking but clearly annoyed.

"I know, sorry... It's just... She is my light, you know? And you helped save us both..." Shun replied, his eyes reflecting genuine gratitude.

Sendo sighed.

"Yer going to pretend Sakurai-senpai wasn't there to help?" Sendo raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Oh, on the train...? Yeah, I haven't been able to get in touch with him these last few days," Shun admitted.

"Well, senpai's phone broke! Of course, ya wouldn't be able ta contact him!" Sendo informed him, a bit too eagerly.

"I-it did? He never mentioned that to me," Shun responded, surprised.

"Well, I know!" Sendo declared, almost boasting about his insider knowledge.

Shun paused, taken aback.

"Anyway, he just sort of disappeared after that night on the train..." Shun added, his voice trailing off as he tried to piece together the events.

Sendo pondered this quietly, recalling the night's chaos and wondering about Yuuto's sudden disappearance.

Blurry... Groggy. The sounds of crickets chirping and the feeling of being laid on a wooden bench.

He remembered he was told someone anonymously called an ambulance. The ambulance found him on a bench in the park, even though he lost consciousness near the construction site...

Could it have been that Seichiro character after all? He thought.

"W-well... You already did so much... I... Just... Get well soon, Sendo-kun." Shun's voice wavered, his smile somber as he slowly turned to leave, carrying a weight of remorse.

"Hey, Senpai!" Sendo's voice stopped Shun in his tracks.

Shun paused, turning his head slightly as Sendo continued.

"Ya got yerself a real good girlfriend der. Treasure and protect her!" Sendo's voice was enthusiastic, genuine.

"Sendo-kun," Shun responded, turning fully now, his eyes alight with a newfound resolve. "I'm sorry to ask this after all you've done... But..."

Sendo raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the seriousness in Shun's tone.

Shun then bowed deeply, his arms pressed against his sides. "Even though I am a third-year... CAN I JOIN YOUR KENDO CLUB!?"

Sendo's eyes widened at the unexpected request. He took a deep breath, reigning in his surprise before responding with a steady, serious tone. "Why?"

Shun straightened up, meeting Sendo's gaze with determination. "If it were a few weeks ago, I'd have said it's to protect the people I love... But now..." He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. "I don't want to be afraid anymore! I'm tired of always being saved... I want to know what it feels like to be..."

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Yuuto: "HEY, MALE2!!"

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Shun continued, unfazed by the interruption, "truly strong, and help myself for a change. Only then can I really protect those I care about."

Sendo's expression shifted from surprise to contemplation, his eyebrows knitting together as he processed Shun's words.

Sendo couldn't help but simplify things. "Yer making dis too complicated, Senpai," he remarked with a casual air.

Shun looked up, the setting sun casting an orange glow that highlighted his golden hair and piercings, his expression resolute and unwavering.

"Join Kendo because it's cool," Sendo declared, his face breaking into a broad, almost childish grin, radiating a contagious enthusiasm.

Shun's eyes sparkled at the invitation. "I don't know what's so cool about Kendo... Can you show me, please?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity as he extended his hand in a gesture of friendship and commitment.

Sendo sighed, though a smile tugged at his lips. "Not exactly da reason I hoped for... but good enough, Senpai! Welcome!" He enthusiastically shook Shun's hand.

As they sealed their new bond with a handshake, Sendo's internal celebration was monumental. 'YAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAA! A new club member! Overly complicated, but a new member nonetheless!'

Outside the hospital room, Yuuto stood silently, holding flowers next to Riko. An awkward tension hung between them since his arrival, both observing the unfolding camaraderie inside.

Yuuto thought, his mood souring, 'Of all the unexpected things, why did it have to be now...?'

Riko glanced at Yuuto with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. "Didn't peg you as the flower-bringing type," she commented dryly.

Yuuto responded defensively, "Bringing flowers keeps the unnecessary attention at bay."

Riko scoffed, "You mean more than what you already attract, Mr. Body-Pillow?"

"Shut up, Back-Pat Cuckold-Maker," Yuuto retorted sharply.

"Creep," Riko shot back, her voice laced with disgust.

The tension remained as they continued to observe. Riko eventually broke the silence, nudging Yuuto gently, "Well, go in. Didn't you come to visit him?"

Yuuto adjusted his glasses, "I can't seem to interrupt such a bromantic scene."

Riko's expression softened slightly, "It is heartwarming, isn't it? Tell your artist friend I'd buy a doujin with that kind of setting."

"I won't," Yuuto replied, firm yet quiet, as they both stood, caught between their usual banter and the unexpected warmth unfolding before them.

-----------RIKO'S ARC: END---------------------------------------

TO BE CONTINUED.....

HEYYYYYO AUTHOR HERE!

I really enjoyed writing this arc! Here's hoping I don't mess up future arcs! I've already started writing the next one! But before I post that, I'll post a different kind of chapter in the next upload!

See ya until then! The frequency of the uploads may drop a bit, but they won't go beyond the weekly mark.